Railway-track construction.



.M. BARTLEY. RAILWAY TRACK CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED 00117, 1913.

1,101,985. A Patented June 30,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEETJ.

\ r J w l J 1 J V J-IJ WITNESSES INVENTOR FIG 1 M. BARTLEY. RAILWAYTRACK CONSTRUCTION.

1 APPLICATION FILED 001. 17, 1913. Patented June 30, 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG.

- FIG. 6

WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANMRAPM CO WASHINGTON- S.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFCE.

MILTON BAB'ILEY, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-TRACK CONSTRUCTION.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MILTON BARTLEY, a citizenof the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Alleghenyand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Railway-Track Construction, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in o railway track construction,and particularly to means for positively maintaining the guard rails ofswitches, crossovers, etc., in fixed positive relation to the main railsof the track, and especially at positions oppo- 5 site the crossoverpoint of the ordinary frog construction, for the purpose of insuringalinement of the wheel treads therewith, and preventing any variation inpassing over the space between the frog point and 0 the main rail.

The invention consists generally in pro viding, with the frog and theopposite guard rail for the companion track rail, means for fixedlyholdin the guard rail in 5 relation to the outer trac rail and the frogconstruction. Ordinarily, guard rails of this type are merely held inposition on the cross ties, and with relation to the inner side of theouter rail, by shoes, clamps or braces 0 of different forms, eitherspiked to the tie or connected in some manner, as by an embracingclevis, with the outer rail.

My invention provides positive bracing means between the frogconstruction, orthe 5 outer rails thereof, and the guard rail for theopposite companion rail, consisting generally in resisting or bracingmembers and intervening rigid strut members having adjustable mechanismfor clamping the braces into holding engagement against the 0ppositetrack members, in connection with the spike engagement with the tiesPreferred forms of the construction are shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in

5 which Figure 1 is a plan view of a railroad crossover provided withthe usual center frog construction, the outer track rails and theirguard rails, showing different forms of 0 the invention as applied. Fig.2 is a detail plan view of one form of the bracing mechanism. Fig. 3 isa similar view, showing a 'modified single strut construction. Fig. t isa similar view, showing a further modi- 5 fication employing telescopingand adjust- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 11116 1914.

Application filed October 17,1913.

Serial No. 796,688.

ing members. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional deta1l view, enlarged, taken onthe line V. V. of Flg. 2. Fig. 6 is an inner faceview of one of thebracing blocks for engaging against the inner side and head of the frograil and guard rail respectively.

In the drawings, the main inner track rails 52, 3, converge and formcontinuations of the tread surfaces of frog member 4, of

the usual frog, having at each side the cus tomary guard rail members 5and 6, respectively, of well-known construction. Rails 2 and 3 are partsof the two main tracks composed of the rails 2 and 2 respectively and 3and 8 respectively. The guard rails 5 and 6 of the frog member convergetoward the point a between which and the point I) of the frog is theintervening open space 0. The treads of the wheels, as is well-known,run across such open space and off of the mam track rails 2 and 3respectively and onto the point 5 of the frog 4, or vice versa, fromeither side, and it is highly important that the treads andv flanges ofthe wheels shall cross this frog space accurately and surely to insuresafety and proper trackage. For such purpose the guard rails 7 and 8respectively are ordinarily laid along the mner side of the oppositerails 52 and 3' respectively, and opposite the middle portion of thefrog which is to be protected, extending to a considerable distance ateach iide thereof, as shown, as is the usual pracice.

For the purpose of firmly and fixedly bracing the guard rail members 7and 8, I provide either the construction shown at the upper portion ofthe drawing, and indicated generally by the letter A, or that shown inthe lower portion of the drawing, indicated by the letter B, the onlymaterial difierence being in the detail construction of the terminal endportions, z'. 0., double and single. In each case the constructionsconstitute bracing spanners having opposed terminals which are insertedin the receiving sockets in the bracing shoes 9 and 9 respectively,which are also referably secured to the rail by the usual spikes.Referring to the first of these bracing constructions A, shown in detailin Figs. 2, 5 and6, the bracing shoes 9 which may be conveniently madeof cast metal, are adapted to fit inwardly against the head, web andflange of the guard rail 7 or frog rail 5, which are of standardconstruction in cross section, the shoe also having an in 'ardlyextending flange 10 having spike holes 11, 11, for attachment to thecross tie by the usual spikes as commonly used. The members 9 as a wholeare of considerable thickness and ample resisting body portion and eachmember is provided at its inner side with receiving sockets 12 or 12,adapted to engage the terminal heads 13 of the diverging arms 14-, let,which extend outwardly beyond the inner central stem 15. As shown, thesebracing portions are at each end of the structure A, the stems 1'5extending inwardly and being en aged by an adjusting turnbuckle 16, andpreferably provided with a jam or loch nut 17 at each end thereof. Theturnbuckle construction is of the usual. kind embodying right and lefthand. threads, so that the bracing terminals of the device may be setoutto exactly the desired degree of pressure for firmly holding the shoes 9against the inner faces of the opposite rail members. The flanges 1.0are spiked down upon the ties 18 through openings 11, and when thusapplied the shoes are fixedly and rigidly held in position againstpositive displacement, accurately holding the guard. rail 7 in positionand insuring engagement with the flanges of the wheels at the other endof the axles from the wheels passing over the frog. l t will thus beseen that such wheels are positively controlled as to their travel overthe fre effectuall' accom Jlishin the objects in view.

in the construction shown in Fig. 3, shoe 9 is provided with asinglesocket 12 at its inner face adapted to receive the head 13 at the outerend of the single strut member l i, having engagement with theturnbuckle 16 in the same manner as above described, and constitutingthe construction imlicated at B in Fig. 1. In Fig. f, the same generalarrangement and construction of shoe 9 is utilized, the spreader memberin this case being composed of a heavy pipe section 19, telescoping ateach end for a considerable distance, with the inwardly directed stems20, 21, of the oppositely disposed bracing heads 13 respectively. At oneend, one of said stems, as stem 21, is threaded and is provided with anadjusting nut 2:2 and preferably a washer 23, whereby the stem may beadjusted outwardly with relation to the sleeve 19, bracing the shoes 9in opposite directions against the rail heads, a supplemental lock nut2-1 being provided for positively holding and locking the nut 22inpositien. With either construction it will. be seen that the shoes arecapable of being accurately set in position, and they a re located andheld by the additional spikes, the main resisting pressure, however,being applied. wnere it is needed, to-wit, against the middle portion ofthe shoes, and also against the head and web of the rails, by

tenance of the guard rails, immediate and easy adjustment, so that anywear of the guard rails by the Wheel flanges may be compensated for, andis simple in construction, strong and reliable, and not liable to getout of order.

The device may be variously changed or modified by the skilled mechanicin various features or details, but all such changes are to beconsidered as within the scope of the following claims.

l/Vhat I claim is:

1. The combination with a railway crossover, supporting cross ties, anopposite track rail, and a protecting guard rail therefor, of acontinuous intervening adjustable bracing structure between thecrossover and the guard rail having at one end a shoe engaging directlyagainst the Web of the guard rail and the face of the tie independent ofthe track rail and at the other end a shoe engaging directly against theinner face of the crossover, the terminals of the bracing structurehaving socket connections with the inner face portions of said shoes ona horizontal plane passing through the middle portions of the rail webs,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a railway crossover, an opposite track rail, anda protecting guard rail therefor; of bracing abutments directly engagingthe web of the crossover and guard rail respectively, and an interveningcontinuous adjustable bracing device having terminals in socketengagement with and directly engaging the inner face portions of thebracing abutments, said bracing device and its terminals conforming to ahorizontal plane passing through the middle portions of the rail websfor holding the guard rail in fixed relation to the track rail,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a railway cross over, an opposite track rail,and a protecting guard rail therefor; of bracing abutments engagingdirectly against the web of the crossover and guard rail respectivelyand provided with inner sockets opposite the middle portions of the railwebs, and an intervening continuous adjustable brace having terminalsadapted to engage therein located in the plane of the rail webs and saidsockets for holding the guard rail in fixed relation to the track rail,substantially as set forth.

l. The combination with a railway crossover, supporting cross ties, anopposite track rail, and a protecting guard rail therefor;

of bracing abutments engaging directly against the web of the crossoverand guard rail respectively provided with receiving sockets opposite therail webs, an intervening continuous brace having terminals adapted toengage therein located in the plane of the rail webs and said socketsand provided with means for longitudinal adjustment of said bracingstructure, and independent means for securing the bracing abutments inposition on the ties against the crossover and guard rail respectively,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with the outer rail of a crossover frog, an oppositetrack rail, and a guard rail therefor; of intervening bracing mechanismconsisting of abutments directly engaging the web of the frog rail andguard rail, and a continuous longitudinally adjustable strut memberhaving terminal portions engaging directly against the middle inner faceportions of said abutments and having socket connections therewith on acommon horizontal plane passing through the rail Webs substantially asset forth.

6. The combination with the outer rail of a crossover frog, an oppositetrack rail, and a guard rail therefor; of intervening bracing mechanismconsisting of abutments directly engaging the web of the frog rail andguard rail, and a continuous longitudinally adjustable strut memberhaving terminal portions engaging directly against the middle inner faceportions of said abutments and having separable socket connectiontherewith, on a common horizontal plane passing through the rail webssubstantially as set forth.

7. The combination with a railway crossover, supporting cross ties, anopposite track rail, and an inner guard rail therefor; of opposingbracing abutments directly engaging the Web portions of the crossoverand guard rail respectively independent of the track rail, anintervening longitudinally adjustable bracing device having terminals directly engaging the inner face portions of the bracing abutments, andhaving separable socket connection therewith on a common horizontalplane passing through the rail webs, and means securing the abutments toa tie independent of other portions of the installation, substantiallyas set forth.

8. Guard rail bracing mechanism of the class described consisting ofbracing abutments adapted to interfit against the inner sides of a'crossover rail and an opposite guard rail and provided with aperturedflanges for securing to the cross tie and inwardly disposed face-Wisesockets, and an intervening continuous strut member having terminals forsaid sockets and longitudinal adjusting and locking means, substantiallyas set forth.

9. Guard rail bracing mechanism of the class described consisting ofbracing abutments adapted to interfit against the inner sides of acrossover rail and an opposite guard rail and provided with aperturedflanges for securing to the cross tie and inwardly disposed face-wisesockets, and an intervening continuous strut member consisting ofoppositely disposed members having terminal heads for said sockets, andscrew mechanism for effecting longitudinal adjustment and locking ofsaid members, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

MILTON BARTLE Y.

F REDK. STAUB.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 6.

